Mineral lubricating oil containing chlorinated hydrocarbons



Patented June 26, 1951 UNITED STATESQ PATENT OFFICE MINERAL LUBRICAT ING OIL CONTAINING CHLORINATED HYDROCARBONS Benjamin Gallsworthy, Glenham, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Texas Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware N Drawing. Application December 9, 1932,

. Serial No. 646,491

may be destroyed, the working surfaces suffering mechanical wear and the lubricant itself in many cases breaking down due to the localized heat generated by friction.

I have found that when chlorinated petroleum hydrocarbons are admixed with the usual petroleum hydrocarbon lubricant that this decomposition of the lubricating film does not occur. -As a direct result, it is possible to operate the working surfaces under pressures which might be prohibitive when using the petroleum hydrocarbon lubricant alone. Although I am unable to give a satisfactory explanation for the action of the chlor compounds in-altering the characteristics of the lubricant in which they are present. this effect may in part be traceable to the formation of extremely thin films of'iron chloride upon the working surfaces'of the metals.

Although I have in mind particularly the application of this invention to the preparation of lubricants having high viscosities, that is, in the range of 100 to 500 seconds Saybolt Universal at 210 F., the compounding of lubricants con-- taining chlor compounds and having higher or lower viscosities than these is also contemplated.

The chlorinated lubricating compounds which are embodied by my invention may be prepared in a variety of ways. For example, I have found that in some cases it may be desirable to chlorinate directly the lubricant petroleum hydrocarbon until its chlorine content has been raised to a predetermined value. In other cases, it may be more desirable to chlorinate a low viscosity hydrocarbon oil and then to blend this chlorinated material with a high viscosity petroleum hydrocarbon which has a viscosity greater than that desired in the compounded product. Then again, in other cases it may be desirable to chlorinate a high viscosity petroleum oil and then to reduce its viscosity with an unchlorinated petroleum oil. The proper choice of the method of preparation is dependent on various factors such as the availability of the various petroleum oils, the ease with which the petroleum hydrocarbons may be chlorinated as well as the uses to which the compounded lubricant is to be subjected. Y

The methods of chlorination available for the preparation of the chlorinated hydrocarbon oils are numerous. I have found, however, that by reacting the petroleum hydrocarbon oil with gaseous chlorine at normal or elevated temperatures, that an efficient chlorination may be eflected. By properly controling the temperature of the reaction as we as by effecting the removal of the undesirable hydrochloric acid, chlor compounds may be produced. For example, a low viscosity paraffin base lubricating oil having the following characteristics:

Gravity, A. P. I 26.7 Visc. Univ. at F 183 Pour, F 25 was submitted to the action of a controlled flow of chlorine for a period of approximately six hours at a temperature of F. The product of this chlorination was then washed with water and dried and was found to have the following tests:

.Gr'avity, A. P. I 20.2 Visc. Univ. at 100 F 305 Visc. Univ. at 210 F 52 Four, F 15 Chlorine, percent 5.37

This chlorinated oil was then blended with .a high viscosity paraffin base lubricating oil having the following tests:

Gravity, .A. P. I 16.0 1'V isc. *Univ..at 210 F 840 Pour; F 60 In the proportions of 38.6% of the chlorinated oil and 61.4% of the paraffin oil, the blende lubricant had the following tests:

Gravity, A. P. I 17.7 Visc. Univ. at 210 F 201 Pour, F 25 Chlorine, percent 2.09

the chlorinated oil in the above described lubricant, until its chlorine content is sufliciently great. By then blending the chlorinated heavy hydrocarbon oil with a lighter petroleum hydrocarbon oil, a high pressure lubricant results which is eminently suitable for lubricating working surfaces under high pressures.

The use of chlorinated parafiln wax is desirable for the preparation of certain high pressure lubricants. A paraifin Wax having a melting point of 102.5 F., a flash of 410 F. and a .fire point of 480 F. was subjected to chlorination until it contained 23.26% chlorine. This chlor derivative had the following tests:

Specific gravity at 60 F 1.014 Flash 535 Fire 5'70 Vis. Univ. at 100 F 328 Solid Point "F Chlorine, per cent 2326 By blending 8% of this chlorinated paraifin wax with 25% of the low viscosity petroleum hydrocarbon oil, previously described, and 67% of the high viscosity petroleum hydrocarbon oil also previously described, there resulted a lubricant having the following tests:

Gravity, A. P. I 18.2 Vis. Univ. at 210 F 201 Pour, F Chlorine, per cent 1.97

The petroleum hydrocarbon oils suitable for use as high pressure lubricants may vary widely, the only necessary qualification being that they have a sufilcient fluidity in order that they may be directed to or directed upon the surfaces to be lubricated. It is possible to prepare a suitable hydrocarbon base by blending together an exceedingly viscous oil with one having a lower viscosity and so suitable blends may be made by mixing together an oil having a viscosity in the range of from 800 to 1100 seconds Saybolt Universal at 210 F. with an oil having a viscosity of 100 to 200 seconds Saybolt Universal at 100 F. These figures are only given as examples, and any mixture of oils having the proper fluidity .may be used for compounding with the proper chlorinated hydrocarbons.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention, as hereinbefore set forth, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A high pressure lubricant comprising a mix- .ture of a petroleum hydrocarbon lubricating oil having a viscosity of about seconds Saybolt Universal at 210 F. and containing in the neighborhood of 5% combined chlorine and a petroleum hydrocarbon lubricating oil having a viscosity of about 800 seconds vSaybolt Universal at 2. A lubricant suitable for lubrication under extreme pressure-s comprising essentially mineral oil and a small percentage of chlorine in chemical combination with non-volatile mineral oil, the compounds formed being also non-volatile.

3. A lubricating composition having as a primary lubricating constituent the combination of unchlorinated mineral lubricating oil and a minor proportion of chlorinated mineral lubricating oil.

4. An extreme pressure lubricant comprising as a primary lubricating constituent the combination of unchlorinated mineral lubricating oil and a minor proportion of chlorinated lubricating oil,

the lubricant being free from added sulphur.

5. An extreme pressure lubricant for use between relatively moving metallic surfaces, comprising a body of refined mineral lubricating oil, the ability of which to prevent seizure and scoring between relatively moving metallic surfaces operating under conditions of extreme pressure,

has been substantially increased by the addition thereto of a minor amount of chlorinated .min-

eral oil.

6. The method of improving a body of refined mineral lubricating oil to very substantially increase its ability to prevent seizure and scoring when used as a lubricant between relatively moving metallic surfaces operating under conditions of extreme pressure, which comprises dissolving in said body a small amount of chlorinated mineral oil.

7. The method of reducing the friction between relatively moving metallic surfaces which comprises maintaining therebetween a film of lubricating oil and at the same time chemically acting upon such surfaces by means of chlorine present in said oil film in the form of a minor amount of chlorinated mineral oil.

8. A composition of matter comprising a mineral lubricating oil and a small percentage of chlorine in chemical combination with a fluid fraction of petroleum, the compounds formed being substantially non-volatile.

BENJAMIN GALLSWORTHY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,733,843 Vivas Oct. 29,.1529 1,492,391 McQuaid Apr. 29,1924 1,248,065 Blanc Nov. 27,, :19-17 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 163,092 Canada Nov. 19, 1914 OTHER. REFERENCES Maag: National Petroleum News, pps. 53-61, Nov. 16, 1932.

Mougey: National Petroleum News, pps. 47453, Nov. 11, 1931.

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,558,079 June 26, 1951 BENJAMIN GALLSWORTHY It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correctlon as follows:

Column 2, line 11, for controling read controlling; line 12, for the syllable ture read lures; same line, for We read well;

and that the said Letters Patent should he read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 28th day of August, A. D. 1951.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant C'ommz'ssz'oner of Patents. 

1. A HIGH PRESSURE LUBRICANT COMPRISING A MIXTURE OF A PETROLEUM HYDROCARBON LUBRICANTING OIL HAVING A VISCOSITY OF ABOUT 50 SECONDS SAYBOLT UNIVERSAL AT 210* F. AND CONTAINING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 5% COMBINED CHLORINE AND A PETROLEUM HYDROCARBON LUBRICATING OIL HAVING A VISCOSITY OF ABOUT 800 SECONDS SAYBOLT UNIVERSAL AT 210* F. 